Continuous mining machine of the ripper type



July 21, 1964 J. GONSKI 3,141,703

CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE OF THE RIPPER TYPE Filed June 12, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Joseph Gonsk/ July 21, 1964 J. GONSKICONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE OF THE RIPPER TYPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June12, 1962 INVENTOR- Jose ah Gar/ski P BY July 21, 1964 J. GONSKICONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE OF THE RIPPER TYPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June12, 1962 w w @VM July 21, 1964 J. GONSKI 3,141,703

' coNTINpous MINING MACHINE OF THE RIPPER TYPE INVENTOR. Joseph onskl374d M M United States Patent 3,141,703 CONTINIUQUE MiNlNG MACHINE OFTHE REFER TYPE Joseph Gonski, Chicago, 111., assignor to GoodmanManufacturing Company, Ghicago, iii a corporation of Illinois Filed June12, 1962, Ser. No. Ziilfidii 10 Claims. ((31. 2997 1) This inventionrelates to improvements in mining ma-- chines and more particularlyrelates to an improved form of continuous mining machine mining by thefeeding of a rotary mining head into and vertically along the workingface of a mine and commonly known as a ripper type of mining machine.

A principal object of the present invention is to reduce the powerconsumption of continuous mining machines of the ripper type, byoscillatibly driving the mining head of the machine along its axis as itrotates and by stabilizing oscillatory movement of the mining head bynonoscillatory mining heads at each end thereof.

Another object of the invention is to improve upon ripper mining headsheretofore in use by oscillatibly moving the head along its axis duringrotation thereof, and by providing stabilizing mining heads at each endof the rotary mining head arranged to cut along the ribs and face of theworking place and to convey the mined material inwardly toward thecenter of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to stabilize rotary and oscillatorymovement of a rotary mining head of the ripper type by mountingnon-oscillatible stabilizing mining heads at each end of the rotarymining head for rotation with the rotary mining head, and by providingconveying spirals on the stabilizing mining heads having cutter bitsprojecting therefrom and pitched to exert axial inward forces on theframe of the machine, and to progress the mined material toward thecenter of the machine for gathering.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved formof ripper type continuous mining machine having a rotary mining headrotatably driven and oscillatibly movable along its axis, and having endnonoscillating rotary mining heads forming a support for the oscillatorymovable mining head and a drive means therefor.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to timeas the following specification proceeds and with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a ripper type of continuous miningmachine constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation of the forward end portion of themachine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the front end portion of themachine shown in FIGURE 1 showing one half of the mining head inhorizontal section;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken through theoscillatory rotary mining head; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine showing thestabilizing mining heads in retracted positions for tramming.

In FIGURE 1 of the drawings I have shown a continuous mining machine ofthe ripper type having a central oscillatory mining head 11 oscillatiblymovable along its axis as it rotates and having outer stabilizing miningheads 12 at opposite ends of the oscillatible mining head and rotatableabout an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation of the oscillatorymining head, but held from oscillatory movement during the miningoperation.

The mining machine 10 also includes a main frame 13 aouuted on laterallyspaced continuous traction tread 3,1413% Patented July 21, 1964.

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devices 15, propelling the machine along the ground from working placeto working place at a high tramming speed, and advancing the machine ata relatively low feeding speed, to feed the mining heads 11 and 12 intothe working face of a mine.

The mining heads 11 and 12 are supported in advance of a cross framestructure 16, spaced in advance of the main frame 13 and extendingacross the forward end thereof, and supported on the forward end of aboom structure including parallel spaced boom arms 17, extending alongopposite sides of a conveyor 19. The arms 17 are pivoted to the mainframe 13 on transverse pivot pins 20. The boom structure also includes apan 21 extending across the tops of the arms 17 and serving as areinforcing structure for said arms. The pan 21 has a central openportion 23 formed therein and extending along opposite sides of theconveyor 19 to accommodate said pan to move beneath the top of saidconveyor.

The conveyor 19' is shown as being a conventional laterally flexiblesingle strand chain and flight conveyor and extends from a positionadjacent the ground in advance of the forward end of the main frame 13in an upwardly inclined direction along an inclined ground engaging boom24 and horizontally along the top of the main frame 13 beyond the rearend thereof, for discharging the mined material into shuttle cars orother material transporting means.

The inclined boom 24 has a ground engaging shoe 25 extending across theforward end portion thereof and sup- 1 porting said boom on the groundduring the loading operation. The boom 24 also has an inclined apron 26ex' shown or described further. The apron 26 also has angu-- larlyoutwardly and upwardly flared cuttings collector pans 30 mounted thereonfor lateral movement with the stabilizing mining heads 12, as said headsare laterally adjusted to extend for the width of the working place andto be retracted with the stabilizing mining heads 12.

The boom 24, apron 26 and gathering devices 27 and collector pans 30 maybe raised above the ground when tramming the machine from working placeto working place in a suitable manner, well known to those skilled inthe art so not herein shown or described.

The boom arms 17, 17 and mining heads 11 and 12 are raised and loweredby hydraulic cylinders 31 having piston rods 32 extensible therefrom.The hydraulic cylin ders 31 are trunnioned on each side of the inclinedboom 24 on trunnion pins 33. Said trunnion pins are trunnioned in theouter wall of said inclined boom and in a strap or bracket 35 extendingabout the cylinder and suitably mounted at its inner ends to the outerwall of said boom 24. Each piston rod 32 is pivotally connected to abracket 36 by a pin 37. The bracket 36 is mounted on the outer side of alower extension 39 of the associated boom arm 17, in advance of theforward end of the main frame 13, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The mining heads 11 and 12 may thus be elevated to positions to cutalong the mine roof by the admission of fluid under pressure to the headends of the cylinders 31 and by the holding of fluid under pressure insaid, cylinders under the control of suitable valves (not shown) Theadmission of fluid under pressure to the piston rod. ends of thecylinders 31 will move the mining heads 11 and 12 downwardly along theworking place, to mine the;

3 working face. In many cases, however, since the mining heads arecutting while moving from the roof to floor of the mine, the weight ofthe mining heads will be sufiicient to advance the mining heads towardthe ground, While being rotatably driven.

Referring now to the mining heads 11 and 12, the stabilizing miningheads 12 each comprise a cutter drum 40 having a scroll 41 extendingalong the face thereof in a helical path and projecting radiallyoutwardly therefrom. Cutter bits 47 are mounted in and project radiallyoutwardly from said scroll, certain of said cutter bits being angularlypitched to cut clearance for said scroll, and the outermost cutter bits43 being positioned to cut alongthe ribs of the working place.

The helical scrolls 41 on the cutter drums 40 are pitched to exertinward'forces on said mining heads, and to progress the material minedtoward the center of the machine.

The cutter drum 40 is shown in FIGURE 3 as being journalled on astationary drum 44 on spaced anti-friction bearings 45. The stationarydrum 44 has an arm 46 extending radially therefrom toward the crossframe structure 16'and welded or otherwise secured at its rear end to aplate 47 extending inwardly of said arm. The arm 46 has a slot 48extending therealong intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof andreceiving a drive shaft 49 for driving the mining heads from a motor 56,it being understood from FIGURES 1 and that an individual motor 50 isprovided for driving each mining head. The shaft'49 is shown as having abevel pinnion 51 splined to its inner end, meshing with and driving abevel gear 53 formed integrally with an internally splined sleeve 54.

The outer end of the internally splined sleeve 54 has an annular flange55 extendingradially outwardly therefrom abutting the inner end of anend wall 56 of the drum 40 and secured thereto as by machine screws 57.The sleeve 54 is journalled at its end opposite the flange 55 in thestationary drum 44' on ananti-friction bearing 59.

The two mining heads 12 are constructed in a similar manner so one onlyneed herein be shown and described in detail. The internally splinedsleeve 54 has a splined end 61 of a drive shaft 63 splined thereto. Thedrive shaft 63 has a central externally splined portion 65 meshing withan internally splined portion 66 of the oscillatory mining head 11 andforming a drive and support for said oscillatory mining head.

Each drive shaft 49 extends rearwardly along the arm 46 in the slot 48through a laterally overhanging portion 66'of the plate 47 and is drivenfrom a universal joint indicated generally by reference character 67.The universal joint 67 may be of a conventional form and preferablymaybe a constant velocity type of universal joint 67. The universaljoint 67 is driven from an extensible drive shaft '69 driven from auniversal coupling 70 at its rear end, which may also be a conventionalform of constant velocity universal joint. The universal coupling 70 isin turn driven from'the motor 50 through suitable reduction gearingcontained within a gear housing 71 secured to and extending forwardly ofa front end plate 72 of the motor 50.

Each motor 50 is mounted on and extends outwardly of and forwardly alongthe outer side of a horizontally swingable mounting plate 73 mountedbeneath the pan 21 for slidable movement therealong. As shown in FIG-URE 1 each mounting plate 73 has an ear 74 extending inwardly therefromadjacent the rear end portion thereof along the underside of the pan 21and pivotally connected thereto as. by a pivot pin 75. The mountingplate 73 has a slot 76 extending longitudinally along its outer endportion having a block 77 slidably guided therein. The block 77 issecured to a connector plate 79 and is retained thereto by gibs 78slidably engaging the inner side of the mounting plate 73. The connectorplate 79 has spaced ears 81 extending along opposite sides of aconnector 82 and pivotally connected thereto as by a pivot pin 83. Theconnector 82 extends rearwardly of a rear plate 85 of a generally boxlike support and guide structure 86 for the mining head 12 and moves theassociated mounting plate 73 and motor 50 about the axis of the pivotpin 75 to follow the support and guide structure 86 and cutter drum 40upon lateral adjustment of said cutter drum.

The box like support and guide structure 86 includes the front plate 47,a rear plate 85, parallel spaced plates 87 and 88 connecting the plate47 to the plate 85, and top and bottom plates 89 closing opposite endsof said plates and with the plates 47, 85, 87 and 88 forming a rigid boxlike support for the arm 46 and the mining head 12. The support andguide structure 86 is slidably guided for adjustable movement along theouter side of the cross frame structure 16. As shown in FIGURE 3 thecross frame structure 16 has slots 91 opening to opposite ends thereofthrough which extend the connectors 82 to accommodate adjustablemovement of the mining heads 12 along the cross frame structure 16. Thesupport and guide structures 86 are slidably supported on the crossframe structure 16 on guide members 93 secured to the top and bottomplates 89 as by machine screws 94. The guide members 93 extendedrearwardly of the plates 89 and have facing channelled guides 95 formedtherein, having slidable guiding engagement with the upper and lowersides of the cross frame structure 16, and retaining the support andguide structure 86 thereto for adjustable movement therealong.

The mining heads 12 and support and guide structures 86 are moved alongthe cross frame structure 16 by hydraulic cylinders 96 having pistonrods 97 extensible therefrom. The cylinders 96 are shown in FIGURE 3 asbeing pivotally connected to a connector 99 extending forwardly of thecross frame structure 16, at the transverse center thereof, on pivotpins 108. The piston rods 97 extend through open portions of the plates88 within the support and guide structures 86 and are pivotallyconnected at their free ends to connectors 101 extending inwardly of theplates 85, on pivot pins 103.

The hydraulic cylinders 96 may thus adjust the positions of thestabilizing mining heads 12 and may retain said stabilizing mining headsin position during the cutting operation, to cut along the ribs of theworking place and to cut downwardly along the face of the working place.The hydraulic cylinders 96 may also retractibly movethe stabilizingmining heads 12 into telescopic relation with respect to the oscillatorymining head 11, to the positions shown in FIGURE 5, when it isdesired totram the machine from one working place to another.

It should here be understood that the mounting plates 73 supporting themotors 50, and gear reduction housing 71 are angularly moved about theaxes of the pivot pins 75 by their connections to the support structure86 as the stabilizing mining heads are moved to their various positionsof adjustment with respect to the oscillatory mining head 11, to effecta drive to said stabilizing mining heads and to the oscillatory mininghead 11 in all positions of adjustment of said stabilizing mining headswith respect to said oscillatory mining head.

The oscillatory mining head 11 comprises two spaced drums 105, shown ashaving cylindrical peripheries having radial flanges 186, 106 extendingradially from opposite ends thereof. Cutter bits 107 are mounted on andextend radially from said radial flanges and are pitched at varyingangles with respect to said flanges, to cut clearance therefor.

.The drums 185 are connected together by a central reduced diameterinner end portion 109 having a central recess 110 formed therein. Thecentral recess 110 forms a mounting for a bearing 111 carried on theouter end of an arm 112 extending radially inwardly of said hearingtoward the transverse frame structure 16, and shown in FIGURE 3 ashaving a cylinder 113 formed integrally with the rear end portion ofsaid arm, and extending laterally therefrom in opposite directions. Thearm 112 has a split bearing support 115 at its forward end, toaccommodate the mounting of said arm on the bearing 111 and to enablesaid arm to move the mining head 11 back and forth along the shaft 63,during rotation of said mining head. The reduced diameter portion 109has a sleeve 116 spaced inwardly therefrom and shown in FIGURE 3 asbeing formed integrally therewith, the central outer periphery of thecentral portion of said sleeve forming the inner margin of the bearingrecess 110. The sleeve 116 has internal splines 64 formed therein, andprovides a drive from the shaft 63 to the cutter drums 195 as saidmining head moves back and forth along the shaft 63.

Each cutter drum 105 also has a central partition 117 extending radiallyinwardly therefrom having a central open portion 118. The centralpartition 117 has an annular bearing support 119 mounted thereon as bymachine screws 120 and extending within the central open portion 118.The bearing support 119 carries a bearing 121, forming a bearing for thedrive shaft 63, and forming a support for the cutter drum 105 on saiddrive shaft.

The cylinder 113 extends to opposite sides of the arm 112 and isslidably guided at its ends in cylindrical casings 123 extendinginwardly of the end plates 88 of the support and guide structures 86. Apiston 124 is slidably mounted within the cylinder 113 and has a pistonrod 125 extending therefrom through a head 126. The piston rod 125 isconnected at its outer end between vertically spaced connector ears 127on a pivot pin 129. The connector ears 127 extend forwardly of the crossframe structure 16.

It may thus be seen that when fluid under pressure is admitted to oneend of the cylinder 113, the mining head 11 will be moved along itsdrive shaft 63 in one direction and when fluid under pressure isadmitted to the opposite end of said cylinder, the direction of movementof said mining head along the drive shaft 63 will be reversed. Suitablevalve means (not shown) may be provided which may be alternatelyoperated by a suitable operating and control means (not shown), to firstsupply fluid under pressure to one end of the cylinder 113 and to thensupply fluid under pressure to the opposite end of said cylinder, tooscillatibly move the mining head 11 along the drive shaft 63 as saidmining head is rotatably driven by said drive shaft.

In operation of the machine, the machine is moved up to the working faceby operation of the continuous traction tread devices 15. The inclinedboom 24 is then lowered to engage the shoe 25 with the ground. The boomarms 17 are also raised by the admission of fluid under pressure to thehead ends of the cylinders 31, to position the mining heads 11 and 12 tocut along the roof of the working place. The stabilizing mining heads 12are then moved outwardly by operation of the cylinders 96, to positionthe outermost cutter bits 43 to out along the ribs of the working placeand define the width of the Working place.

The motors 50 are then started to rotatably drive the mining heads 11and 12 and power is alternately supplied to one end or the other of thecylinder 113, to oscillatibly drive the oscillatory mining head 11 backand forth along the shaft 63 as the shaft rotatably drives said mininghead. During rotational and oscillatory movement of the mining head 11and rotational movement of the mining heads 12, the continuous tractiontread devices 15 feed the mining heads 11 and 12 into the working faceto the required depth. The boom arms 17 and mining heads 11 and 12 arethen lowered under the control of the cylinders 31 and the piston rods32 retractibly movable within said cylinders to feed said mining headsdownwardly towards the mine floor, all while the mining head 11 isrotating and oscillatibly moving along its axis and the stabilizingmining heads are rotating at the speed of rotation of the mining head 11to stabilize the forward 6 end of the machine and hold the machine frommoving back and forth with the mining head 11.

As the mining heads 11 and 12 have advanced downwardly to the floorline, rotation and oscillatible movement of the mining heads 11 and 12is stopped and the boom arms 17 are elevated a distance sufficient toraise the mining heads 11 and 12 above the floor. The machine may thenbe moved backwardly a slight distance by operation of the traction treaddevices 15, and the boom arms 17 and mining heads are then again raisedto the roof line to continue the mining operation in the manner justdescribed.

It should here be understood that as the mining head 11 rotates and isoscillatibly driven along the shaft 63 that the cutter bits 107 movingback and forth as they rotate and are fed vertically along the workingplace, will cut a diamond like pattern, weakening the coal between theportions that have been out until the coal is broken or cut down andthereby mining the face without leaving the usual cores impedingprogress of the mining head.

The mining head 11 by being moved back and forth as it rotates and isadvanced vertically along the working face to effect a cuttingoperation, makes it possible to cut with far less bits than heretofore,and in addition to reducing the number of bits and the resultant timeand expense required to change to bits, also cuts the coal awaysufficiently to leave no large coresto retard the advance of the mininghead, and thereby reduces the power required to rotatably drive themining head.

The cutter bits 43 of the stabilizing mining heads 12 extending from thescrolls 41, the helixes of which are pitched to exert forces inwardlytoward the center of the machine and to convey the mined material towardthe center of the machine, retain the machine for moving back and forthwith the mining head 11 and thereby stabilize said mining head and themachine, making it possible to cut straight ribs during downward feedingmovement of the mining heads.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my inventionmay be embodied, it may be readily understood that various modificationsand variations in the invention may be attained without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof, as defined by theclaims appended hereto.,

I claim as my invention:

1. In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

a rotary mining head supported in advance of said main frame and mountedthereon for vertical movemerit with respect thereto about an axisextending transversely of said main frame,

said mining head including an oscillatory rotatable cutter drum havingcutter bits projecting from the periphery thereof,

a horizontal transverse shaft supporting and driving said cutter drum,

a motor and a geared drive connection from said motor to said shaft,

a hydraulic cylinder and piston connected with said cutter drum forreciprocably moving said cutter drum back and forth along said shaft,

and support means for said shaft including rotatable stabilizing cutterdrums mounted at opposite ends of said shaft coaxial with and held fromreciprocable movement along said shaft,

and cutting along the ribs of the working place and driven by saidshaft.

2. In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame, 7

a boom structure transversely pivoted on said main frame and extendingbeyond the forward end therei of,

means for angularly moving said boom structure in vertical directionsand retaining said boom structure in fixed relation with respect to saidmain frame,

a rotary mining head mounted on said boom structure in advance of theforward end of said main frame for rotation about a horizontaltransverse axis and including an oscillatory rotatable cutter drumreciprocably movable along said horizontal transverse axis and havingcutter bits projecting from the periphery thereof in widely spaced rows,and a stabilizing cutter drum at each end of said oscillatory cutterdrum rotatable about said horizontal transverse axis and spaced,

from opposite ends of said oscillatory cutter drum, said stabilizingcutter drums at opposite ends of said oscillatory cutter drum havingcutter bits projecting from the'pen'phery thereof and arranged in rightand left helical paths to progress the cuttings toward the center ofsaid main frame and to cut alongthe ribs of the working place andthereby stabilize said boom structure and main frame,

means for supporting said stabilizing cutter drums for adjustmenttowards and from said oscillatory cutter drum and for holding saidstabilizing cutter drums in fixed relation with respect thereto,comprising a transverse drive shaft supported on said stabilizing drumsand forming a mounting for said oscillatory drum,

a motor, and drive connections from said motor to said drive shaft forrotatably driving said stabilizing and oscillatory cutter drums.

3. In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

rotatable oscillatory cutter means supported in advance of said mainframe and mounted thereon for rotation about an axis extendingtransversely of said main frame and for angular movement with respect tosaid main frame about a parallel axis disposed rearwardly of said axisof rotation,

a motor for rotatably driving said cutter means,

power means for moving said cutter means back and forth along the axisof rotation of said cutter means,

stabilizing cutter means at each end of said oscillatory cutter means,

mounted for rotation about an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation ofsaid oscillatory cutter means and defining the ribs of a working place,

and means holding said stabilizing cutter means from reciprocablemovement along their axes of rotation.

4. In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

a rotary mining head supported in advance of said main frame and mountedthereon for vertical movement with respect thereto, said mining headincluding a central rotatable oscillatory cutter drum supported androtatably driven about a horizontal axis extending transversely of saidmain frame and reciprocably movable along said axis,

and also including stabilizing cutter drums coaxial with and spaced fromopposite ends of said oscillatory cutter drum and held from reciprocablemovement along their axes of rotation,

one stabilizing cutter drum having a right hand helical scroll extendingthereabout having cutter bits projecting outwardly therefrom and theother stabilizing cutter drum having a left hand helical scrollextending thereabout having cutter bits projecting outwardly therefrom,

the pitches of said scrolls progressing the mined material toward saidoscillatory cutter drum and exerting inwardly stabilizing forces on saidmain frame.

5. In a continuous mining machine,

.a main frame,

a rotary mining head supported in advance of said main frame and mountedthereon for angular movement with respect thereto about an axisextending transversely of said main frame,

said mining head including an oscillatory rotatable cutter drumsupported for rotatable movement about its axis and for reciprocablemovement back and forth along its axis of rotation and having widelyspaced rows of cutter bits projecting from the periphery thereof,

said mining head also including outer coaxial stabilizing cutter drumsmounted at opposite ends of said oscillatory cutter drum and retainedfrom movement along their axes of rotation during the cutting operation,

each stabilizing cutter drum having a conveying spiral extendingtherealong having cutter bits projecting from the periphery thereof,

.said conveying spiral on one stabilizing cutter drum a boom structuretransversely pivoted to said main frame and extending forwardly of theforward end thereof,

a rotary mining head mounted on said boom structure in advance thereoffor rotation about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of pivotalconnection of said boom structure to said main frame,

means for angularly moving said boom structure and said mining head withrespect to said main frame in a vertical direction,

said rotary mining head including an oscillatory rotary cutter drumhaving annular rows of widely spaced cutter bits projecting from theperiphery thereof,

means reciprocably moving said oscillatory rotary cutter drum back andforth along its axis of rotation during rotation thereof,

said rotary mining head also including a stabilizing rotary cutter drumat each end of said oscillatory rotary cutter drum coaxial with the axisof rotation of said oscillatory cutter drum and having cutter bitsprojecting from the periphery thereof,

and means holding said stabilizing cutter drums from reciprocablemovement along their axes to exert forces on said holding means and saidboom structure tending to hold said boom structure from back and forthmovement with said oscillatory cutter drum.

7. In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

a boom structure transversely pivoted to said main frame and extendingbeyond the forward end thereof,

means for angularly moving said boom structure in vertical directions,

a rotary mining head supported on said boom structure in advance of theforward end of said main frame for rotation about a horizontal axisextending transversely of said main frame and including an oscillatoryrotatable cutter drum mounted on said boom structure for reciprocablemovement along its axis of rotation and having cutter bits projectingfrom the periphery thereof in widely spaced rows,

a stabilizing cutter drum at each end of said oscillatory cutter drumand coaxial therewith,

said stabilizing cutter drums having helical scrolls ex- 3; tendingthereabout having cutter bits projecting from the periphery thereof,

the respective scrolls on opposite stabilizing cutter drums having rightand left hand pitches to progress the cuttings toward the center of saidmain frame,

and means for supporting said stabilizing cutter drums for adjustablemovement toward and from said oscillatory cutter drum and for holdingsaid stabilizing cutter drums in fixed relation with respect to saidoscillatory cutter drum and from reciprocable movement with respect tosaid main frame.

In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

a boom structure transversely pivoted to said main frame and extendingbeyond the forward end thereof, 1

a rotary mining head mounted on said boom structure in advance of theforward end of said main frame for rotation about a horizontaltransverse axis,

means for angularly moving said boom structure vertically and feedingsaid rotary mining head in a vertical direction,

said rotary mining head including an oscillatory rotatable cutter drummounted on said boom structure for reciprocable movement along its axisof rotation and having cutter bits projecting from the periphery thereofin widely spaced rows,

and having a stabilizing cutter drum mounted on said boom structure ateach end of said oscillatory cutter drum and spaced therefrom,

and rotatable about an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation of saidoscillatory cutter drum,

said stabilizing cutter drums having oppositely pitched helical scrollsprojecting from the periphery thereof arranged to progress the cuttingstoward the center of said main frame during the cutting operation,

support structures for said stabilizing cutter drums holding saidstabilizing cutter drums from reciprocable movement along their axesduring the cutting operation,

said support structures being mounted for adjustable movement across thefront end of said boom structure,

and means for adjustably moving said support structures and stabilizingcutter drums across the forward end of said boom structure to telescopesaid stabilizing cutter drums with respect to said oscillatory cutterdrum for tramming.

9. In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

a boom structure transversely pivoted to said main frame and extendingbeyond the forward end thereof,

means for vertically moving said boom structure relative to said mainframe about the axis of connection of said boom structure to said mainframe,

a cross frame structure extending across the forward end of said boomstructure,

cutter supports mounted on said cross frame structure for adjustablemovement therealong toward and from each other,

means holding said cutter supports in position with respect to saidcross frame structure and adjustably moving said cutter supports alongsaid cross frame structure,

each cutter support having an arm projecting forwardly therefrom havinga stabilizing rotary cutter drum mounted thereon for rotation about ahorizontal axis extending transversely of said main frame,

said cutter drums being retained from movement along said horizontalaxis and having cutter bits projecting from the peripheries thereof,

a shaft supported at its ends on said stabilizing cutter drums,

an oscillatory cutter drum having cutter bits projecting from theperiphery thereof supported on said shaft between said stabilizingcutter drums and rotatably driven by said shaft,

and means mounted on said support structure for moving said oscillatorycutter drum back and forth along said shaft between said stabilizingcutter drums during rotation thereof.

It). In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

a boom arm extending in advance of said main frame,

pivotal support means transversely pivoting said boom arm to said mainframe,

means for vertically moving said boom arm about the axis of said pivotalsupport means,

a support structure extending across the forward end of said boom arm,

cutter supports mounted on said support structure adjacent opposite endsthereof for slidable movement therealong,

hydraulic cylinder and piston means mounted on said support structurefor adjustably moving said cutter supports along said support structuretoward and from each other,

each cutter support having an arm projecting forwardly therefrom,

a stabilizing cutter drum rotatably mounted on each arm and extendinglaterally outwardly therefrom and having cutter bits projecting from theperipheries thereof,

a horizontal transverse shaft supported at its ends on said stabilizingcutter drums,

an oscillatory cutter drum having cutter bits projecting from theperiphery thereof,

said oscillatory cutter drum being mounted on said shaft between saidsupports and stabilizing cutter drums and being rotatably driven fromsaid shaft,

means holding said stabilizing cutter drums from movement along theiraxes during oscillatory movement of said oscillatory cutter drum,

and means for moving said oscillatory cutter drum back and forth alongsaid shaft between said stabilizing cutter drums during rotation thereofincluding,

an arm journalled on said cutter drum intermediate the ends thereof andprojecting toward said support structure,

and fluid pressure cylinder and piston means on said support structureconnected with said arm for oscillatory moving said arm and oscillatorycutter drum back and forth along said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,695,164 Arentzen Nov. 23, 1954 2,770,448 Miller Nov. 13, 19563,044,753 Wilcox July 17, 1962 3,062,518 Osgood Nov. 6, 1962 FOREIGNPATENTS 316,292 Germany Nov. 24, 1919

3. IN A CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE, A MAIN FRAME, ROTATABLE OSCILLATORYCUTTER MEANS SUPPORTED IN ADVANCE OF SAID MAIN FRAME AND MOUNTED THEREONFOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID MAIN FRAME ANDFOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID MAIN FRAME ABOUT A PARALLELAXIS DISPOSED REARWARDLY OF SAID AXIS OF ROTATION, A MOTOR FOR ROTATABLYDRIVING SAID CUTTE MEANS, POWER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CUTTER MEANS BACKAND FORTH ALONG THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID CUTTER MEANS, STABILIZINGCUTTER MEANS AT EACH END OF SAID OSCILLATORY CUTTER MEANS, MOUNTED FORROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS COAXIAL WITH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAIDOSCILLATORY CUTTER MEANS AND DEFINING THE RIBS OF A WORKING PLACE, ANDMEANS HOLDING SAID STABILIZING CUTTER MEANS FROM RECIPROCABLE MOVEMENTALONG THEIR AXES OF ROTATION.